The next day began much the same way except the Straw Hats were now two shorter. Like salt on the wound to such a fact for Luffy, Usopp, Nami, and Gaimon as they reawakened without Sanji and Zoro, it was Silver Foxy that greeted them to the main campground outside of the tent-city. Spreading his arms wide he declared, "Ah, Straw Hats! Good morrow! I have taken pity on you and had good Sir Sanji to set to breakfast duty once again."
Sanji was dead tired, bags under his eyes as Foxy this time had woken him early to prepare everyone's breakfast before they awakened. He was also charged with retrieving the ingredients himself, and he could not do corn beef hash again. Alone from Foxy's crew that assisted him were Zoro, shamed though he was to help the pervert cook, and Hamburg, would still regarded the Straw Hats as friends.
Instead of breakfast, Zoro opted to sleep the morning away, but refused to wear any of Foxy's colors but the mandatory mask. He woke to hear the Straw Hats' voices meekly greet Foxy in return, wanting to ignore him until the captain's duel. Zoro made eye contact with his crewmates and suddenly stood, taking Foxy's coat and trousers and throwing them into the main campfire.
Foxy bristled. "What was that for, Pirate Hunter?! Someone else could have worn those!"
"Be quiet," Zoro said, glaring at Foxy with the most steel intent.
Foxy balked and took a step back, his hands beginning to shake suddenly even as Capote, Porche, Big Pan, and Itomimizu began a cacophony of screaming about how ungrateful Zoro was, how they should force him to go naked until they leave Snowy Plains and make him dress in full garb at hot islands, and whip him until he properly obeyed Captain Foxy, the captain raised a hand.
"Let him be! He's just had a night with us. He knows not how lucky he is I haven't set him to power duty yet," Foxy said with a laugh, choosing to ignore Zoro for now as the swordsman laid back down, noting the mask still firmly on his face. He'll bend yet, Foxy said as he watched Sanji dish out portions to the Straw Hats.
"Sanji! Did you get any intel for us last night?" Nami hissed over to Sanji as they got closer to one another to whisper.
Sanji just sniffed. "No, I didn't. I cashed in early cause I was so exhausted. Thank god, cause they woke me up three hours ago now . . . I'm just tired all over again," he complained instead of offering any help. Nami sighed, sweat beading on her forehead as she found a place to sit nearby. She pouted and she ate.
"Nami, like I told you, don't worry! I've got a plan," Luffy said as he joined her with Gaimon.
"What is it? I heard you all stay up a while longer, did you tell the guys and not me?" Nami asked sardonically, picking at her plate without much appetite.
"No, no, he didn't tell us anything," Usopp said as he joined them. "Whatever the captain has brewing is a mystery to me as much as it is you two." He dug in deeply to his dish. "But hey, either way, it's Devil Fruit on Devil Fruit. Should be a good fight."
"Hear, hear," Gaimon echoed in agreement as he too dug in, but like the other three, his attention turned to Hamburg as he approached them, sitting among their circle with his plate of food and looking at each of them in turn, somewhat abashed and somewhat ashamed. He was met with complete silence at his arrival.
"Hello," Hamburg said. "Good morning. How are you? Good? Enjoying the food?"
"That's enough greetings," Nami snapped back.
"Hello, Hamburg," Luffy replied, dry even for himself.
Hamburg shuffled his feet in the snow as he set his plate down. "I'm really sorry," he told them in hushed tones. "I . . . I appreciated you all saving me so much. I tried to get Captain Foxy to just host you, but he insisted! He ordered me not to speak on it anymore or else face demotion." He eyed Foxy from afar, though neither he nor his officers gathered around his grand seat noticed he had even joined the Straw Hats. "I'm sorry. I tried to warn you he was a cheat."
"Yeah, that definitely wasn't apparent by anything but his cheats," Usopp snapped back. He leaned forward, hushing his tone to speak further. "Make up for it a bit. Tell us about his Devil Fruit."
Hamburg's eyes went wide and he shook his head, waving his hand. "That's his greatest ace card. That you know about it is advantage enough! I'm not saying nothing, no way! He'll know I told you, he'll just know, or else Porche or Capote will and tell on me to him . . ." he admitted finally, drifting off into an incoherent mumble.
Luffy swallowed the last of his plate and sighed with satisfaction, finally really acknowledging Hamburg. "Look, Hamburg. You seem like a nice guy - we're friends! But either way," he said, his mischievous grin coming back on, "you're gonna be punished by a captain today."
Hamburg began to shiver at Luffy, taking deep breaths as he stood and walked back to the officers. To his credit, the Straw Hats could tell he didn't speak a word of what Luffy had just said to him to Foxy or the others. He simply sat and took a small nap, or at least shut his eyes and pretended to. Nami put the pieces of the puzzle together at Luffy's vague words and smiled his way slyly before digging into her plate voraciously.
Breakfast concluded before too long and Foxy clapped his hands as Itomimizu mounted Chuchun and took to the air to begin commentary for the day's event. "Let us begin, ladies and gentlemen! The final bout of the Davy Back between our Foxy Pirates and the Straw Hat Pi -!" Foxy said, but Luffy waved his hands as he walked past the rival captain.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" he said, interrupting the theatrics as he slumped over. "I'm getting tired of all that boring stuff. I wanna fight!" He entered the ring where Zoro and Capote had their cold-off the day before, stretching his neck and shoulder as he got further into the ring. He looked around at the nearest of Foxy's crew and pointed at the two platforms that had yet to be removed from the middle and ordered, "Move this. I'm gonna need as much space as I can get."
Foxy's men obliged Luffy, moving fast at his cold gaze at them as Foxy, too, entered the ring, looking most frustrated as his angry eyes averted between Luffy and his own men. "What's the meaning of this? Why the sudden hurry, Straw Hat?"
"I wanna get this started. I have a request for you," Luffy said. He pointed at the ring that bordered the fighting area. "Can we have that removed so you can step out of bounds and get disqualified?"
Foxy sputtered and had to force himself from laughing. You idiot! That just gives me the advantage, he thought and nodded, thinking it over and feigning as if it would be a great inconvenience to him. "I suppose . . . though whatever game you're playing, it won't work." He threw that last part in on the cuff, glad he found a quip at least to throw in Luffy's face as he waved his hands to order his men to remove the ring.
"Well, then, it's a KO, out of bounds, or death match," Foxy said as he donned something from his pocket - gloves with spikes on them that took rigidity as he placed them on his fists, stretching them both out. He smirked. "Ready to begin? I'm ready -."
"That wasn't my request," Luffy said preemptively.
"Stop interrupting me!" Foxy demanded, stamping his foot like an indignant child. "But what is it?!"
Luffy pointed at Sanji and Zoro, who stood as close to the Straw Hats as they could while still being part of the Foxy Pirates' entourage. Robin stood on their other side, The Rainbow Mist at the ready. "I want both my men back! I know I can't take them both back if I win against you. Just you." His finger pointed now to Hamburg. "So I say we make it two against one. If I defeat you and Hamburger, I can take Sanji and Zoro back."
Foxy sighed, relaxing and placing his hands on his hips. He looked between Luffy and Hamburg pensively, also considering Sanji and Zoro for a moment. Foxy huffed, shaking his head and focusing again on Luffy. "I don't appreciate being swindled. It'll have to be three on one for me to justify such a deal. I do love Sinji's cooking!"
"It's Sanji!" Luffy said. "And I agree. But I get to choose him too - and he gets to be the biggest guy." He lifted his finger again at fifteen foot tall Big Pan. "Him. And!" Luffy exclaimed, getting up close in Foxy's face before he could see it and jamming his finger in it. "I get another crewmate! Deal?" Luffy really enunciated the last words. "You're lucky I don't say anything about those shoddy gloves."
Foxy snorted but nodded, allowing Luffy's rule modifications. "I like you, boy." He lifted his hands and feigned innocence across his incredibly guilty features. "And weapons are allowed! Please, if you've got any that suit you, feel free to grab them now." He smirked as Luffy shook his head and turned his back on him to assume his place nearby. Foxy turned to Big Pan, waving him over. "Come, Pan! It's three on one!"
"You've never done anything like this," Big Pan said as he came forward willingly, still confused about the decision. The Captain's Duel was historically a one on one fight.
"Aye, but every day is a chance for new experiences," Foxy replied. He looked at Hamburg a bit more begrudgingly and whistled. "Come on, Hamburg! Let's go! You too!"
So that's what you meant, Hamburg thought, and while he naturally wanted to turn tail and run, not fight Luffy for fear of having to hurt his friend, make him lose, or worst of all, get terribly injured himself. But he felt he owed it to the Straw Hats to do so today. He swallowed hard spit as Porche and Capote led the cheers behind him of, "Go get 'em, Hamburg! Big Pan! Captain!"
"What is he thinking! This was his plan?!" Gaimon explained, quaking in his chest. He lifted the pistol up. "What the Hell did I bring this for?!" he screamed, beginning to cry. "Does this mean Foxy could take us all?!" he sputtered.
"I forgot you haven't really seen Luffy fight yet. That Baroque Works lady got the slip on him, but if she hadn't, you'd know this is the point to be least worried," Nami said as the three other Straw Hats stood together nearby, watching the fighters get into place in the large ring, still marked out by the ropes from the ring, their stakes simply gone.
Gaimon saw the same confidence on Usopp and Nami's face, and they both had their arms crossed as they stared ahead firmly. Gaimon wiped the tears from his face, forgetting how easy it was to let cries come when you were alone but that there were times to hold it to yourself. Indeed, the Helliere Pirates had done a Davy Back and received a fine doctor from the situation. Perhaps today will be the same!
"Okay, fighters! Are you all ready?!" Itomimizu called out to the four below in the ring as each raised their fists except for Big Pan, confident enough in his abilities to simply flex his muscles and crack his neck.
"Aye, Ito!" Foxy called back up without looking. "Put your back into this one, Hamburg, despite your affinities!" he hissed under his breath so only his quartermaster at his right could hear.
"FIGHT!" Itomimizu called through the megaphone, and the mass of four hundred strong, for the power team were allowed to take the morning off to watch the fight, cried out in excitement to see things play out. Even those disloyal still to Foxy were here to possibly witness their captain get taken out, though their hopes were low enough. This was moreso just something to take their minds off their bad positions.
Luffy stretched his arms out and grabbed hold of Big Pan's ears before any of the Foxy Pirates could react, and he let his feet leave the ground, sending them into Big Pan's nose and breaking it terribly. Blood splattered out and Big Pan let out a great cry as he fell to his knees, blinded by the attack as Luffy let go of his ears and snapped back into place in the air. His straw hat waved behind him in the air as he fell, but Foxy and Hamburg saw his fists were still poised for attack.
"Gum Gum Gatling Gun!" Luffy cried out, and rained heavy blows down upon both Foxy and Hamburg. They were dazed as they bounced between his fists and the ground for a moment before Luffy ran out of breath and crashed into the ground harmlessly. Most of the crowd had gone quiet now watching the quick savagery from Straw Hat, not having nearly expected as much from this lanky boy.
But now the minority on the island rose into cheers: Usopp, Nami, Gaimon, Sanji, Zoro, and those still disloyal to Foxy - and even the loyal folks who had worked the restaurant Luffy had first eaten at, just too excited to see him succeed after getting to know him. "What are you doing?!" Capote yelled at them as he heard them nearby, quite obvious among the otherwise shellshocked crew.
"What?" said the oldest and most crotchety of them. "He's disarmingly charming!"
Luffy rose from his graceless landing unharmed and placed the straw hat back on his head as he approached the three Foxy Pirates. Foxy and Hamburg were on their backs nearby, groaning from the literal rain of punches, while Big Pan leaned on his knees and one arm as blood fell into the snow from his broken nose. His other hand forced it back into place with a hard crack and he looked up to see Luffy.
Seeing Big Pan appear most back to form, Luffy strode toward him as Big Pan rose up onto his feet once again. Luffy threw his arms back, ready to send them into Pan's stomach for a Bazooka - yet suddenly, he found himself totally paralyzed almost as his arms stretched out fully back behind him. Only his eyes seemed to move in real time, for he found his arms were still stretching backward, just infinitesimally slower.
"Thanks, Cap!" Big Pan said as he strode toward Luffy cockily and rose his foot up, slamming it down upon Luffy, slowly pressing him into the ground. It was harmless, but it was awkward as the paralysis made his body more rigid than it normally was.
Thirty! Usopp thought, having counted the seconds since he watched Luffy go slow and seeing him snap back to form underneath Big Pan's foot. He wasn't totally crushed, but his shoulders were pinned down and his arms snapped back to form harmlessly with their failed attack.
Worst of all was that Foxy was back on his feet, having rose behind Luffy as he bounded toward Big Pan. He'd used his Devil Fruit on Luffy, slowing him down and letting his man take the hit, but under the wotan's boot, Luffy didn't seem to be taking any damage. "Just hold him there, Big Pan!" Foxy said as he strode forward. "I'll take him out in one hit." He reared his fist back and slammed it across Luffy's face, the spikes hurting him far more than the punch. Luffy spat blood as his face was scratched, growling as he grabbed tight hold of Big Pan's boot.
"Luffy! It's thirty seconds! Whatever Foxy's power is, it only lasts thirty seconds!" Usopp called out to him quickly. "Still! Don't get hit by it!" he added desperately. He couldn't take watching Luffy get hit by those spiked gloves again.
"Hey! That's cheating!" Porche complained from nearby, rounding on the Straw Hats.
"I don't wanna hear it, string bean!" Nami said, raising her finger toward Porche with fury.
"Yeah, Porche, mind your business," Hamburg said as he rose to his feet, badly hurt by that last assault. "He didn't cheat. He didn't even say anything. How could he have cheated?"
The cook staff from the restaurant chuckled and looked between themselves, laughing. "Yeah, what did he say? I didn't hear nothing!" they said in agreement, and among the minority of the Foxy Pirates, the chant spread. "Nobody heard nothing, Porche!"
"Well, there ya go," Zoro said with a chuckle, sitting in the snow sucking on some ale the Foxy Pirates were passing around.
Sanji looked down at him drinking the booze and grimaced. "Why are you drinking with them?"
Zoro took a huge swig. "I'm considering it stealing."
Luffy roared out while he had his hands gripped around Pan's feet, sweeping him off his feet suddenly and turning him onto his stomach, slamming into the ground. Luffy picked himself up and ran across Big Pan's back to reach his head for the finishing blow for the wotan - getting cut off by Hamburg on his back.
They squared off and Foxy watched from nearby as he waited for their duel to break out, but rose his hands into the diamond he made to use his power. "I've got him, Hamburg! Beat him out of bounds if you must!" he ordered out.
"No, Captain!" Hamburg screamed, throwing a hand out toward Foxy. He looked at him from the corner of his eye. "Let me fight him fair and square, myself."
Foxy raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that, Hamburg?"
"Positive!" Hamburg said, and ran toward Luffy, punching him right in the gut - and quickly realizing he did nothing to the rubberman. Luffy just smiled at the punch, staring Hamburg firmly in the eye.
"Gum Gum Bullet!" Luffy called out, and socked Hamburg square in the face, knocking him off Big Pan and across the ring, nearly out of bounds by the Straw Hats and the officers of the Foxy Pirates. Luffy smiled and reared his foot high up in the air, aimed for the small of Big Pan's back. "And Gum Gum Battle-Ax!"
"Slow Slow Full Stop!" Foxy cried out, using his full power to slow Luffy as much as he possibly could. This attack was only good for ten seconds, but he ran forward, desperate not to see two of his men get knocked out at once and punched Luffy in the chest. The full stop didn't allow him to move, though his body still took damage. Foxy landed on Big Pan's back, panting - he hadn't exerted this much effort or pain in so long! - and he punched a flurry of blows into Luffy, hoping to punch him clear out of bounds. He finished the ten seconds and his flurry with an uppercut.
The transfer of force translated to that last blow and Luffy was blasted upward with a deafening roar of pain and frenzy as he lifted high into the air, his blood splattering everywhere from Foxy's spiked gloves. Hamburg watched from the edge of the ring at the arc of blood that soared everywhere. Even some of Foxy's loyalists were wincing at the sight as Luffy began to fall in an arc, clear out of bounds.
"Sorry, Captain," Hamburg said as he began sprinting clear out of bounds himself, tracing Luffy's arc in the air with his eyes. "He knocked me out of bounds I guess!" he said as innocently as he could, giggling the whole way as he kicked Luffy as hard as he could before he could land, sending him landing back in bounds of the fighting ring, still conscious.
"What!" Foxy cried out. "Hamburg! You're cheating for the wrong team, you dimwit!"
Hamburg twirled his foot in the snow, causing an uproar of laughter from the other pirates of the crew. "Oops, was that my fault? Sorry!" Even the Straw Hats, Sanji, and Zoro were studying him under a new light after that move, and he made eye contact with them. "So, if Luffy wins Captain's Duel," Hamburg began as he approached Usopp. "Would you all . . . consider -?"
"No," Usopp, Sanji, Nami, and said in unison as they turned their attention back to the fight ahead of them.
"But . . . good going," Gaimon said. "Thank you. I'm seeing what they mean! Luffy stands a chance against these two, even the wotan." He lifted his pistol up, shrugging. "He told me to bring my 'lucky pistol' but . . . I never used this to kill anyone! I never killed anyone in my life!" He sighed. "Why would he have me bring this?"
Hamburg considered this a moment, entirely unable to translate such a thing from a captain that wasn't his own. "Now, earlier when I was asking if you all would consider something, I don't know what you thought I would say -."
"You're worse than me at staying on topic," Gaimon said.
Hamburg chuckled bashfully. "Sorry. I think if he's your captain and he wanted you to bring it, it must be for some reason." He chuckled foolishly, saying, "I wonder what makes a gun lucky! A Devil Fruit?"
Gaimon returned his attention to the fight as Luffy stood up. Foxy walked toward him while Big Pan groaned nearby, picking himself up from the general thrashing he was taking. His nose was still bleeding profusely as he turned to face Luffy, directly behind his captain. Luffy raised his fists. "Bring it on."
"Still not done? I've torn you apart," Foxy said scornfully. "Aren't you the least bit exhausted?"
"Buddy," Luffy said, "you're not much. I can tell you that. How long have you been on the first stretch of the Grand Line, huh? You just like targeting weak crews, don't you?" Foxy's lack of response was answer enough for Luffy. "Good for you, you never lost a Davy Back. I'm about to change that. Sorry."
"You're powerless against my Slow Slow Fruit!" Foxy said as he leaned back on a leg, taking a relaxed stance. "The fact I'm fine with admitting my power to you should speak to the truth of that. Give up now while I'm letting you have a chance."
"No! I'm getting my crewmates back!" Luffy yelled. "I've already got one, I'm gonna get the other now!" Luffy screamed, charging forth.
"The deal only applies if you win against all of us, squirt!" Foxy shouted back and raised his hands into a diamond. Slow Slow Down! he thought, and Luffy went slow as normal this time. He raised his fists to charge in and beat Luffy around again.
"Let me, Captain!" Big Pan called, charging past him from behind. Foxy watched him clear the distance between even himself and Luffy in no time.
"No, Pan! Let me," Foxy said, truthfully unconvinced with his mate's ability to fight here against the rubberman. Yet he was forced to watch as Pan's leg came rearing back and slammed into Luffy's front full force.
But in this form, he should have already been blasted back even somewhat, and instead, he budged not an inch. His eyes were a fury, Foxy could tell even from here. "Why . . . How?!" he said aloud, lost for words. Never before had he seen such defiance against his power. Yet it was still in effect! He ran forward, but it was still slow. But his arms were moving funny. What are they doing?! Foxy thought in fear, expecting them to suddenly defy the Slow Slow Fruit and grab hold of him.
But instead they gradually wrapped around Big Pan's legs, finally intertwining their fingers around the ankle as the Slow Slow Fruit gave in after thirty seconds, and Luffy's body went slamming backward. But his arms held tight and stretched until Luffy sent himself flying back into the top of Pan's foot. He screamed out in pain, descending to his knee as his foot gave out completely.
"Big Pan!" Foxy, Porche, and Capote shouted in concern for their crewmate, as Luffy did not prove to let the onslaught up. He sent another punch straight into the side of Big Pan's head, driving him to all fours once more. Luffy landed and stepped underneath the wotan, kicking his foot up again in a reverse of the Battle-Ax that drove his foot right into his diaphragm instead.
Big Pan coughed out all the air from his lungs as he rose into the air almost three times his own height before Luffy's stretching gave out. Big Pan cried as he came flying back down to earth. Foxy watched the whole time, tracing him with his eyes. He had been firing the Slow Slow Beam at Luffy that whole time, but the rubber-boy springing about in the air made his aim off. I'm no sniper! he complained to himself.
Yet it was this moment that Luffy's arm came back and grabbed hold of Foxy's collar, tugging him over to him. "No, no, no, no, no, no!" Foxy panicked in rapid fire, waving his arms and thinking too little too late to use the Slow Slow Fruit as he was right up next to Luffy. Straw Hat wrapped his arms around Foxy tight in a bear hug, keeping his arms at his side and grinning at him full in the face.
There was a great shadow of Big Pan's over them as the wotan fell back to earth on top of them, crushing them both. The crowd was going wild no matter who was winning; this was easily one of the best fights of the captain's duel they'd ever seen. No, this was the greatest of the Captain's Duels they had ever seen. Even if it meant their officers were getting humiliated.
Luffy crawled from under Big Pan first, raising his hands in the air at the cheers he was receiving. The minority were now the hard-core Foxy loyalists, of who the other officers mostly formed. But even Itomimizu was on the side of the crowd with his commentary. "This is extraordinary! We have now seen the power of East Blue Straw Hat with our own eyes and folks, I can tell you, if the rumors are true it only goes up to 25 million, the Navy has clearly undervalued this rubber-boy! Who is this Luffy?!"
Who indeed? Robin wondered from beside Sanji, her eyes having been untorn from the fight despite how close she was getting to finishing her book. Her thumb remained in the place where she was at in the story all the same, Sanji noticed. He thought that was endearing.
Foxy came back out a few moments after as Pan squirmed over to his side to let the captain out. He was badly beaten from the two attacks he'd taken, seeing double as he surveyed the ring for Luffy. He was barely able to discern the ring, but he saw Big Pan's huge hand block a punch from Luffy that otherwise would have knocked Foxy out in the state he was in. Being that close to defeat snapped Foxy back to alertness and he shook himself back to. "Thanks, Pan!"
"Of course, but Captain," Big Pan groaned out as he held himself from all different angles. "I . . . I don't think I can take any more of his hits," he admitted weakly.
Foxy began breathing harder at that from his wotan crewmate, but replied, "I understand, Big Pan. You've done enough. Let me handle the rest." Big Pan stood up, and Luffy made to knock a punch into his face, but he raised his hands and shook his head. "No more, no more," he said to Luffy, crossing his index fingers as he stepped out of bounds.
"Alright, Straw Hat!" Foxy called out, laughing. "Let's finish this."
"You're no animal," Luffy said as he charged ahead, leaping into the air to avoid Foxy's beam, now noticeable from the way he formed a diamond with his hands. "You're no fishman!" He sent a foot slamming toward Foxy, but the other man took a few steps back, stumbling over his feet but not falling over to avoid the kick. "You ain't no Marine, and you're hardly a clown!"
"What does that have to do with anything?!" Foxy bellowed, and in midair, he could get a clear, quick aim on Luffy. "Slow Slow Beam!" In midair, Luffy's descent was suddenly slowed immensely and Foxy laughed, glad he had some luck on his side to catch Luffy in his Devil Fruit. Still catching his breath, he stepped toward where Luffy might land, readying a punch to send into him before he could gain control again from the slowdown.
And that's exactly what happened, as Luffy was sent flying to land near the Straw Hats. "Dammit! From this distance, there'll never be another chance to get close," Usopp said quietly but leaned forward and shouted, "GET UP, LUFFY! YOU GOT THIS!"
"No, you're right," Luffy replied, having actually heard the first part of his words. "Gaimon . . . you got your pistol?"
Gaimon steeled himself for what he had to do next, figuring if it meant getting Sanji and Zoro back, he would have to kill. You're a pirate! He's your captain, and they're your crew! Do it! For them! "Yes, Captain!"
"Good! Fire when I tell you," Luffy said as he stood and placed himself in between Gaimon and Foxy as the quartermaster took aim while Usopp and Nami body blocked him as best they could. All eyes were firmly on the fight though, and no one else but Sanji, Zoro, and Robin had heard Luffy's order.
"But . . . what?!" Gaimon asked, confused.
Luffy took off, and after three paces, he said, "FIRE!" Gaimon recalled what it was like when he'd shot Luffy before; his flesh had just stretched out, entirely unphased by the bullet. He chuckled, and aimed at Foxy through Luffy as best as he could, firing into his back at the same time that Foxy fired the Slow Slow Beam at Luffy, slowing him down.
The roar of the crowd masked the gunshot as it pegged into Luffy's back, digging into him slowly. One! Two! Three! Four! Luffy began counting in his head, not wanting to let up at all and lose count. If I'm misjudged this, it could all be over! he thought - and that was the push he needed to make sure he didn't lose this battle. He didn't care if the Slow Slow Fruit was working against him now, whatever sort of power it was; he didn't care if Foxy was a cheater. There was still great distance between them and there were only fifteen seconds left in his slow-down.
"Get ready for the punch of a lifetime, Straw Hat!" Foxy chanted as he ran in zigzags toward Luffy, one arm reared up for the punch as he used every muscle to gain momentum to throw into it. "This'll show you for calling me a clown!"
Foxy kept getting closer and closer, and the time seemed to tick slower as Luffy reached twenty-seven and Foxy was all but upon him. Yet at the last moment, foolishly, instead of continuing with the momentum he'd gained from running forward in zig zags - he stopped dead on his heels and reared his right fist back in a wind up, standing on one foot. "Sil-verrrrrrs - FOX-AYYYYY!" he shouted to the clamor of his crowd.
Fool! You just lost cause I'm the better fighter, Luffy thought with a grin as thirty hit, his time came back, and the bullet slammed through his body. But from this distance, the point of the bullet - now embedded in Luffy's back - shot through him and tapped Foxy on the head with enough force to send out a thunking sound across the ring. Foxy's eyes started to spin in their sockets as Luffy's form came back and spat the bullet back out into the snow behind him.
"What . . . was that?" Foxy murmured as the last of his strength fell away from the attack to his forehead and he fell in a crumpled heap, unconscious at his own feet.
Luffy looked over his shoulder at Gaimon with a thumbs up despite how terribly bloody and battered he'd gotten against Foxy's spiked gloves. "Nice shot, Quartermaster!" Gaimon could only laugh and chuckle, hiding his pistol away with one hand from the other Foxy Pirates and giving Luffy a thumbs up with the other.
ATB
I have a lot to do tomorrow (Thursday 12/1) so I decided to drop the new chapter early! Thanks as always - see you guys on Saturday!
Until next time
ATB